


second child

by MC_Lily



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Character Study, Gen, oc is berkut's mom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-05-08 01:54:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14683974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MC_Lily/pseuds/MC_Lily
Summary: A series of vignettes detailing formative moments in Berkut's lifetime, in no particular order.





	1. absenteeism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe this is the beginning of the end, so to speak.

The fortieth of Wyrmstym- a day that is as close to sweltering hot as Rigel can get- is a day Berkut has been looking forward to for quite a long time. Exactly three-and-a-half weeks after he’s turned twelve, he is due to be officially named Rigel’s heir. He had found more trouble than usual finding sleep last night, the thought of greeting Rigel’s people as their prince proper filled him with giddiness. He would admit that to none, however- such childishness was below him as first in line for the Rigelian throne, as Mother liked to often remind him. 

 

He’s excited, but scared- after all, what if he messed up? To make himself a fool in front of what would certainly be most of Rigel! The thought makes his stomach twist unpleasantly. 

 

Hastily wiping at his eyes with the sleeve of his pyjamas, Berkut sets about focusing on preparing his appearance for the ceremony.

 

He grooms and dresses himself- he is a member of Rigelian royalty, and would not rely on servants to do his dressing for him like some spoiled Zofian child. 

 

Minutes before the ceremony is set to begin, Berkut shifts from side to side in front of the large oak doors that lead to the reception hall of Castle Rigel. Just behind them would be everyone of note among royalty and nobility, and beyond them, below and above the balcony- would be all of Rigel. 

 

Slowly, the doors creak open. 

 

With practiced steps, he approaches the Saint holding a velvet pillow with the family circlet resting atop it. 

 

He had seen it before, of course- simple in design, yet refined, like all the heirlooms the royal family possessed. Worn by every great Emperor before him, and soon enough, by him.

 

His body moving almost on its own, Berkut takes a moment to sweep the room with his eyes. He’s curious as to who’s there, but mostly, he wants to see his uncle. How proud the Emperor would be, seeing his nephew on this day, the day he had worked so hard to reach-

 

_ Where was he?  _

 

The spot Uncle should be occupying, right next to Massena, was empty. He hadn’t come. 

 

Berkut suddenly took great interest in the Saint’s robes. They were white and gold- she must be a practitioner of the old religion.

 

The cool metal circlet around his ears felt more alien than it should have. 

 

Berkut does not bother holding back his tears when he is in his bed that night- his mother was rather cavalier in trying to ‘toughen’ Berkut up- make him cry less- but, he is soft by nature, he thinks. She doesn't have to know he’s crying right now, he thinks. She won’t, either- Mother had not come to watch the coronation.

 

His mother had always had delicate health, so a trip from their manor to the capitol may have very well been out of the question, but- his Uncle? 

 

Being Emperor meant he was the busiest man in the country, but surely he would have made time? This was his nephew’s coronation, it was important occasion! 

 

But...had it been important to  _ Uncle _ ? Certainly not, if he hadn’t bothered to show up. Berkut had been deemed unworthy by His Excellency.

 

Rudolf had spent the day in his study, nursing a few drinks from a bottle of something dark. Not enough to get him drunk; he was a large man, it would take much more than a few glasses to put him under. Pouring over old letters from Mycen about his son. The son that, by all means, should have been accepting his birthright today. 

 

Rudolf is also hiding from his guilt- Berkut is by no means a replacement for Albein, but it was beyond Rudolf’s control; when Berkut looks so eager to train with him (for as much as the boy tried to hide it, he’s awful at masking his emotions) all Rudolf can think about is his son, hidden away in some remote pocket of Zofia. It would have been with great agony if he were to watch Berkut claim heir to the throne that was not his, and it is selfish of him to try and escape that...but, to be human was to be selfish, was it not?

 

A knock.  _ There would only be one man… _

 

“Enter,” Rudolf calls, and Massena steps into the room. Rudolf puts the letters away. 

 

“His young highness seemed upset during his coronation,” Massena begins, bluntly. “I can only imagine it would be because you were not present, Your Excellency.”

 

Rudolf sighs, leaning back in his chair. “I will have to make it up to him, somehow.” 

 

He does not add on that he does not know how. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi u guys i actually...really like berkut...
> 
> valentia accordion gave us his backstory and in return i give u...headcanons
> 
> idk im really interested in like...why berkut is Like That...and i think a part of it is definitely the complicated relationships with his mom & uncle...
> 
> does this even count as a vignette?
> 
> i'll update the summary with a snippet from one of these eventually


	2. the beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mother's love and good intentions.

Anastasia is nineteen when she gives birth in a mansion, alone save for servants. It is a boy, and when he grabs her finger for the first time, she blinks away tears and knows she must be strong- to raise a child alone will be difficult, but she must. 

 

She does not think twice about what she will name him- Berkut, after the hunting birds that soar over Rigel. A good, strong name. 

 

Berkut, for all it’s worth, is a very timid boy from infancy. He loathes strangers, and as he grows he wears his bangs long. It’s to hide away, she knows better than anyone, but if it will give him even an ounce of confidence, then so be it. 

 

Yet still, she is troubled. She has just gotten word that Berkut is first in line for the throne- the councilmen and such had been floundering about for a few years after the loss of Lady Ekaterina and her infant, waiting to see if the Emperor would remarry. 

 

_ The court will tear him apart _ , is Anastasia’s first thought. Such a timid boy, quick to tears and as of recently, fatherless. They would taste blood the minute he walked into the room. 

 

Borrowing from the stone-faced officers that existed in her memories of her brief stint in the military, Anastasia becomes stricter with him. She instructs his tutors to do the same. They’ll also have to change how the go about his education- Berkut must know where he stands in society, now. 

 

A part of her still screams to be soft and gentle like her mother and all the mothers in fairy tales are and were, however, so more often than not she ends up holding him and wiping the tears off his face while scolding him. 

 

When Berkut is nine, both Anastasia and her brother-in-law come to the agreement that it is best to send Berkut to finish his studies at the castle. There, he will have access to experience and resources she cannot give him. 

 

Berkut is at the age where he believes himself too old for his mother to hug him, but she does so anyway. “Remember, my dearest, you are the crown prince of Rigel. She is a mighty country- be proud of both her and yourself.”

 

Berkut nods into her shoulder.

 

She sends him off with her engagement ring- for to leave home without any mementos would be too difficult for the both of them- and a promise to write. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for timeline purposes, berkut is 3, almost 4 when anastasia receives word
> 
> if you by some chance saw the other second chapter i had up for like an hour about a week ago, know that i'm saving that one for later. i'm gonna send it through the wringer a few times, it needs refining. 
> 
> i'm on summer break now (yay!!) which hopefully means more frequent updates!
> 
> i had a lot more feelings about berkut's mom than i was expecting to have. I gave her a name, too, cause i thought fleshing her out a bit more would be fun. 
> 
> i mention her health in the last chapter, but don't bring it up again in this one, mostly cause there was no good place to put it. in any case, i intended for her to have anemia- i think it'll come up again later lol


End file.
